1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a carrier for items and, more specifically, baby items such as bottles, food containers, medical supplies, blankets, etc. The present carrier is structured to resemble an animal, preferably a mammal such as a horse or other farm animal or domestic pet which would be attractive to infants, toddlers and small children.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Innumerable carriers for various articles have been developed over the years, from pocketed clothing to backpacks, purses, wallets, and other devices. However, with the ever increasing numbers of articles developed specifically for the care of infants and toddlers, a parent or guardian is increasingly burdened when he or she travels with the child. While various carriers and containers have been developed for the carriage and storage of such infant care articles, most are devoted to only a single type of article (e.g., baby bottles or other food, diapers, etc.), or at most, a very few types of basic articles. While various containers resembling animals have been developed in the past, none of these previously developed containers appear to provide the utility and versatility of the present container, as will be seen in the discussion below of the related art known to the inventor.
Previously patented carriers and bags, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,150, issued on Dec. 12, 1989 to Julie-Anna Fitzsimmons, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,172, issued on Jun. 1, 1993 to Anthony B. Stevenson, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,154, issued on Aug. 8, 1995 to Anna Delligatti, all have generally thin, flat, rectangular structures which are generally incapable of carrying all of the articles commonly associated today with infants and toddlers. While the Stevenson device provides a case-like enclosure which has somewhat more volume than the other devices, it is incapable of carrying a significant number of accessories and the like due to the built in headrest and rigid diaper changing surface therein. In any event, none of these devices provides a pleasing and attractive appearance for an infant or toddler, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 313,118, issued on Dec. 25, 1990 to Richard J. Maddocks, U.S. Pat. No. 313,697, issued on Jan. 15, 1991 to Catherine M. Senitt, U.S. Pat. No. 313,887, issued on Jan. 22, 1991 to Catherine M. Senitt, U.S. Pat. No. 324,302, issued on Mar. 3, 1992 to Shirley E. Schneck, U.S. Pat. No. 324,304, issued on Mar. 3, 1992 to Catherine M. Senitt, U.S. Pat. No. 345,649, issued on Apr. 4, 1994 to Maria E. Beltempo, U.S. Pat. No. 352,391, issued on Nov. 15, 1994 to Maria E. Beltempo, and U.S. Pat. No. 358,476, issued on May 23, 1995 to Gloria J. Winkos, show cases and bags simulative of animals. However, none of these containers appears to have the numerous specialized compartments of the instant invention.
United Kingdom Patent Publication No. 2,054,388, published on Feb. 18, 1981, and World Organization Patent Publication No. 87/02554, published on May 7, 1987, lack the storage capacity and the configuration of the present invention. In the case of the device of the UK patent publication, no space is provided for the storage of one or more relatively bulky blankets, and the device of the World patent publication provides only for diaper changing and bottle storage, with no provision for other articles. Moreover, none of the devices disclosed in the above described U.S. utility patents or the two foreign patent references provides any legs to support the container body and to lift it to a more practicable height, as provided by the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.